Happy Leap Day, everyone! Here, to help you celebrate, a few fun facts about Feb. 29, plus tips to make the most of the extra hours.

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WEDNESDAY, Feb. 29, 2012 — Every four years, the universe (okay, the Gregorian calendar) gives us an extra day at the end of February — a day to literally realign the planets and, in some cases, our lives. Technically, it takes the Earth 365 days, five hours, 48 minutes, and 46 seconds to circle the sun, which means that our normal 365-day year is slightly out of sync with the solar year. Leap Day (a.k.a. Feb. 29) was created to help right that wrong.

It’s not a bad idea, actually — setting aside one day to fix a mistake or compensate for a particular shortcoming. In fact, we might all do well to apply it to our own lives.

Why not use today to do something you’ve been putting off or to realign your priorities for the rest of the year? Make that doctor’s appointment you’ve been avoiding, file your taxes early, or commit once and for all to quitting smoking. Pick up that book you bought four months ago and never got around to reading, or call a friend you haven’t spoken to in a while. If you’re feeling adventurous, take a cue from last week’s episode of 30 Rock and do something you wouldn’t otherwise do on a regular, run-of-the-mill Wednesday. Try a new food, visit a new neighborhood — step out of your comfort zone and let the Leap Day spirit move you!

To give you a little inspiration, here are four interesting facts to know about this rare, magical day:

Leap Day birthday boys and girls are called Leaplings or Leapers. According to the Honor Society of Leap Year Day Babies, a free membership club for people born on Feb. 29, the chances of having a Leap Day birthday are one in 1,461 (365 days times four years, plus one extra day). The odds of being born on any other day are one in 365. During non-Leap Years, most Leapers celebrate their birthdays on either Feb. 28 or March 1, which is technically when they would have been born in a normal calendar year. (Many Leapers also use those dates on official documents: While birth certificates and Social Security accept Feb. 29 as a birthday, some other agencies or companies do not.) Famous Leaplings include Ja Rule and Antonio Sabato Jr.

Men and women switch romantic roles on Leap Day. This ages-old idea was the inspiration for a 2010 romantic comedy starring Oscar-winner Amy Adams. According to Irish legend, St. Bridget negotiated with St. Patrick to flip the tables on tradition every four years and “allow” women to propose to men, thus striking fear in the hearts of commitment-phobic boyfriends everywhere. Guys may want to think twice about running the other way, though: Research shows that married men have better and more frequent sex, are less likely to die of cancer or heart disease, and live generally longer, healthier lives than their bachelor buddies. Still not convinced? Consider this: In some countries, any gent who rejects a lady’s proposal has to buy her 12 pairs of gloves (to hide her ringless finger, of course).

Leap Day is also International Rare Disease Day. Technically, this day is celebrated every year on the last day of February, but it was started on Feb. 29, 2008, because Feb. 29 is a “rare” day, and 2008 was the 25th anniversary of the passing of the Orphan Drug Act, a U.S. law designed to facilitate the development of drugs for rare (a.k.a. “orphan”) diseases. This year, fundraising and awareness activities are taking place in Europe, Russia, China, Japan, the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, among other countries.

Leap Day may be lucky or unlucky, depending on whom you ask. In Scotland, it’s considered bad luck to be born on Leap Day, and in Greece, there’s a similar superstition that couples who marry during a Leap Year will end up getting divorced. But in other cultures, proposing on Leap Day is considered good luck.

How will you make the most of the extra day this year? Tell us in the comments!

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